#but the need to have them indoors has been out since 2020

[covid-safer-hotties]

Why Biden’s premature COVID ending could help it surge - Published Sept 23, 2022

Two years out from the publication of this article, and we can really see how true these warnings were. Why does the mainstream media and DNC refuse to do anything about forever covid?

This week, President Biden said what millions of Americans have been hoping to hear since the spring of 2020: “The pandemic is over.”

I understand the impulse to close the book and move on. But I am deeply concerned that this declaration is not only premature but also dangerous.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has shown us, again and again, the danger of hubris. Think of the lethal impact of the omicron virus last winter, just when we were so grateful that the delta wave had ebbed. Think of the deadly surges this summer, just when we were planning our long-delayed vacations. This is a virus that has humbled us too often. We must approach it with humility.

This declaration has many damaging effects: As others have noted, it will now be even harder to persuade Americans to get the new bivalent boosters. It’ll be tougher to persuade Congress to fund essential COVID responses. And it will be nearly impossible for local officials to impose new indoor mask requirements should another surge arrive.

To be sure, Biden did acknowledge in his “60 Minutes” interview that “we still have a problem with COVID” and added that “we’re still doing a lot of work on it.” But he sandwiched that message between two flat declarations that the pandemic is over. Those are the soundbites that have reverberated most loudly, and they are decidedly unhelpful.

Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has spoken often about how the U.S. has lurched from a cycle of panic to neglect when it comes to public health. Many of us in the field had hoped that the COVID-19 pandemic would break that cycle — a sliver of silver lining amid all the grief.

We had hoped that policymakers and voters alike would understand how essential it is to upgrade our data infrastructure, stockpile essential medicine and equipment, invest in preventive care for vulnerable populations, restructure our emergency response agencies and support an infusion of public health workers at the local and state levels. Surely, COVID would be the spur needed to finally bump U.S. spending on public health to more than 3 cents on the health care dollar.

By declaring the pandemic over when we are still very much in the thick of the fight, President Biden is undercutting that message.

Let’s look at where we are right now. The U.S. is still reporting close to 60,000 cases and 400 deaths each day. Millions are struggling with long COVID; by some estimates, this often debilitating condition is keeping 4 million adults out of work. Those at work may have less flexibility: Major companies are ending work-from-home policies and Starbucks announced this week that it will no longer give employees paid time off to isolate or get vaccinated. Biden’s remarks will only accelerate that trend.

Meanwhile, only 67 percent of Americans are vaccinated and only half of them have been boosted. While many of the remaining have some immunity from infection, the death toll makes clear that large swaths of the population remain highly vulnerable. And of course, new variants continue to emerge; right now, all eyes are on BA.2.75.2, a mutation of the omicron variant that is notably better at evading antibodies acquired from vaccination or prior infection and is spreading rapidly in India.

Declaring the pandemic over at this stage is tantamount to accepting all this misery as background noise.

And if we accept the status quo as background noise — rather than the urgent and immediate threat it represents — it’s nearly impossible to make the case that we need to do more as a society to protect the vulnerable, respond to surges, or prepare for future crises.

The Biden administration has made significant strides on COVID. It made tests, vaccines and treatments widely available across the country, which improved outcomes and saved lives. The vast majority of Americans feel we’re in a better place than at this time last year and many have returned, at least in large part, to normal activities.

It is an appropriate moment for our leaders to turn the page away from our wartime footing and begin a sober discussion about the next steps: the risks that remain, the importance of responding quickly to local surges, the value of supporting the Global South in building their own vaccine infrastructure — and the critical need to rebuild the battered and woefully outdated public health infrastructure in the U.S.

It is not the moment to declare victory.

John M. Barry, author of “The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History” has a stark warning from history. He writes that the world had largely moved on from the 1918 influenza pandemic when a fourth wave struck in 1920. By then, the U.S. had plenty of natural immunity from prior infection. Still, the virus spread ruthlessly. Public officials failed to respond. They, like the public, wanted the pandemic to be over — so the virus rolled on unchecked. In some cities, the death toll in 1920 exceeded the toll of the huge second wave.

We should not make the same mistake now. With humility as our watchword, we can move to the next chapter without closing the book. That is the way forward.

Michelle A. Williams is dean of the faculty of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

[imxthexhandler]

[ooc]

OOC: Sorry, everyone. I’ve just been really drained with this new med, and it’s kind of been decreasing my desire to write on here.

Also, I am very sorry, but I am going to have to call a suspension for certain threads right now. Due to ongoing health concerns, I’m just putting a halt on all my pregnancy threads (especially the ones where my muse, Amelia, is with child). I’ll explain why below the cut, but the TL;DR version: I’m not comfortable with writing pregnancy threads at this time, I will send a message to my partners this affects. I will let you know when this hold is taken off. I am sorry, but this is something I need to do for me.

That said. Thank you. Have a good Monday.

Okay, for the past four years, I have been dealing with extreme menstrual cycles.

For starters, they last for an abnormal about of time-- most are 5-7 days, mine would last for MONTHS. MONTHS. In the year 2020, I spent over half of it on my period. This last one, was four months long.

And it’s heavy. Dear God, it is HEAVY. I’ve been reading different health sources saying the usual, average amount is 1/3 a cup per day. Mine would be over a cup. Those overnight pads that you’re supposed to be able to wear for about six hours, because you’re supposed to wear them while you sleep? Or all-day pads for those with bladder problems? I will change those AT BEST every 2 hours. This past period (and the one in 2020), I would be lucky if I can make it 90 minutes without changing.

Unfortunately, while I was at the courthouse, I was never granted the time off (despite having the PTO (paid time off) saved up) in order to get this addressed with a doctor. This year, I just decided I had enough, so I scheduled an appointment with my gynecologist back in March, but it will not be until May 9th.

I was willing to try and just “tough it out” until then, but after a particularly bad day, my mother came over to my house and literally begged me to schedule an appointment with Kaiser or go to their urgent care, willing to pay for the out-of-network costs for the appointment.

While I was there, the nurse practitioner saw my cervix. No polyps or nothing abnormal to the naked eye when she saw it. So, to just to try and get the bleeding to stop, she put me on a prescription for pills that are for endometriosis, with the instruction that when the bleeding stopped, to stop taking the pills, but if it returned, I could start back up on them. (This has happened THREE times now.)

So, the nurse left all her notes and recommendations for further tests, etc., for my gynecologist, and told me, in her opinion, it’s likely one of three things: 1) cancer; 2) endometriosis; or 3) fibroids.

Goody-goody gumdrops for me.

And as a cis-woman, who has wanted since childhood to bear children... Yeah, this is hard. This is very, very hard to deal with. Especially with the panic that I might not be able to, because clearly, something is not working with my indoor plumbing so to speak. It’s making me feel less of a woman. It makes me feel mortified, ashamed that it’s fucked up down there, and I don’t know why.

So, for these reasons, I just can’t deal with pregnancy threads at the moment. I can’t. Because it just throws it back in my face about my health issues, and that just quickly makes me get too anxious, etc., and it’s making my depression worse.

As I said, I’ll be messaging the specific partners this affects (I believe it is really only 3), and I’ll let you guys know when I’m ready to pick up those threads again. I don’t mind it if it’s after that, with kids, and everything. But just for right now, I cannot deal with pregnancy threads.

Thank you.

[sleepyside]

We had these cats when I was growing up that showed up in our backyard as kittens. A brown tabby girl and an orange tabby boy. Since they were originally wild they were indoor/outdoor cats who always came inside before dark. I suppose they would have lived longer if they stayed indoors but it never occurred to us. And they stayed relatively healthy until they weren’t. They lived for 13 years. The boy died in august 2018 and the girl in january 2019. I found them in 2005 as kittens darting around some pine trees by my swing set. And when they died, we buried them where they came from, under those pine trees.

my cats popped into my mind a little bit ago and I started scrolling through my photos of them. I came across one of Chester on my parent’s back deck, a grand two story deck my dad built my mom for Mother’s Day one time, fifteen or twenty years ago. When I took that photo in 2018 before Chester died, the deck looked incredible. In early 2020 before the pandemic, my husband (then boyfriend) and I moved away, and my dad caught Covid. He’s still a hard worker but he’s more frail these days and that deck has gone to ruin. It’s a safety hazard, nobody can use the back door because of the gaps caused by rotting wood. The last I looked, even their grill is sinking through a hole. They can’t even shop for cheaper homeowners insurance because someone would need to come inspect the property and find it.

it struck me a minute ago that if my cats somehow miraculously came wandering back out from the pine trees, they’d go to walk up the deck stairs and find a metal chair blocking the way up. Maybe they’d get annoyed and climb up the lattice instead, and be surprised and disappointed at what they found on the other side. We used walk up and down the railing, and the grill, and we sunbathed next to the potted plants…What happened to our space? Are mom and dad okay? And I’d answer, they’re okay but they’re moving a little slower these days. There was a sickness that dad caught and he hasn’t been 100% since. Maybe one of them would think to ask me, are you worried about them slowing down? And I’d say, I sure fucking am.

[lionheartslowstart]

Busy Bee

Feeling stagnant drives me crazy and stresses me out beyond belief. It makes my skin crawl. I hate feeling like I’m not accomplishing anything, like I’m not moving forward. Unfortunately, there tend to be pockets in my life when this exact thing happens. Whether it’s due to specific circumstances outside my control, or even just due to being disabled, there are periods of time where I’m just not able to accomplish anything. And it would appear I am currently sitting in one of those pockets.

Don’t get me wrong, in this case, it’s for wonderful, happy reasons. In a few weeks, my parents are taking me to Paris. I’ve never been and always wanted to go. Recently, my parents explained to me that it’s actually a graduation gift, which confused me because I graduated seven years ago…but this trip was eventually planned for May of 2020 (which obviously didn’t happen), only two years after I graduated, so I suppose it makes sense. I’m so excited to go. A week with my parents in one of the most beautiful cities in the world!

And then, as soon as we get back, “Thomas” and I are going to start the process for adopting kittens! We decided to get two because kittens tend to do better together, especially when they’re already bonded. Yes, we’re a little concerned about my allergies, especially with no balcony, but I’ve been doing really well with the shots (two years now), and we can always open all the windows if I need some fresh air. Plus, we plan on harness and backpack training the cats as soon as possible, so they won’t be indoors 24/7, AND we have a Roomba (her name is Millie) that we can run once a week to keep up with all the fur and dander. So we’re really really hoping my allergies don’t make pet ownership a struggle. (And even if it is, I’ll just have to tough it out for 15 years because there is no way we would just give the cats back! That would be cruel.)

Cats tend to have a difficult time adjusting to new spaces. So even though we’ll have bonded kittens who will have each other for comfort, I’m sure they’ll be scared and it will take them time to adjust. And not just to the space either. They’ll also need time to adjust to us as owners. Since Thomas is at work all week, that means I’ll have to be the one to stay home and look after them. It would be wrong to throw these kittens into a new territory and then leave them completely alone. So I intend on taking two to three weeks (the recommended time) to let them get to know me and help our little kitties build a schedule with food and play. I have accepted that those few weeks will be a full time commitment on my part. (And of course, Thomas will help out on the weekends when he’s home, though it unfortunately may mean the cats will take longer to feel safe with him.)

With the France trip coming up, and then the immediate commitment to homing new kittens, this is clearly not the time for me to be making big life movements. That mainly includes submitting auditions for film and television, as well as finding a part time job. I’ve been wanting to work part time for a while, even though it’s really scary and I’m afraid I won’t be able to maintain that kind of stamina long-term. But I have to try. I miss having a schedule, and historically, working a small job has increased my energy in other areas of my life. (This according to my therapist of eight years.)

Still, not having anything to do career-wise has me on shpilkes. So at the very least, I’m trying to keep myself busy and fill my time with activities that feed my soul in the meantime.

I have recently resumed my foreign language courses, which currently include Spanish, French, and Yiddish. Plus, thanks to my mother getting me into K-Dramas, I plan on adding Korean! (Though that probably won't happen until after I return from France, since obviously French is the current priority.) I've always loved learning languages, and they always seemed to come pretty easy to me, most likely due to strong pattern recognition thanks to autism. However, my understanding is that Korean has a completely different syntax from the other languages I've learned, so I'm excited to really challenge myself. 

In addition to spoken languages, I’ll be starting ASL lessons soon, too! I'm SO excited. I've always wanted to learn ASL, and I'll be learning from a close friend of my mother's, who is just the kindest woman ever.

Furthermore, after three years of dealing with shame and fear, I've finally started taking motorcycle lessons again! I'm doing really, really well, if I do say so myself.

And of course, I’ve signed up for more classes at my pole studio now that I’ve moved back to the area. (Hallelujah.) Unfortunately, I did have to take a mini-hiatus from both pole and motorcycle lessons since during my last lesson I dumped the bike and it fell on my foot…and then I was sick…but I'm back, baby! I've already booked my next dance class, and I'll hopefully be booking my next motorcycle class soon too (my foot has not totally recovered and truthfully I probably should wait longer to go back to pole BUT I miss it way too much).

On top of all of that, I've resumed making spell jars, and have begun to expand into other practices as well.

All in all, it's been a busy few weeks!

I’m realizing I tend to get bogged down by what I’m NOT accomplishing, instead of what I AM accomplishing. Especially when what I’m NOT accomplishing has to do with career goals. I have an obsession with working, or perhaps more accurately, being able to work, as if that’s the most important thing in a person’s life. I know it’s not, that there are so many more important things, but there’s a lot pressure in our society to hold a job, as well as the pervasive idea that your ability to engage in labor is somehow tied to your worth. It’s an incredibly ableist (not to mention capitalist) ideal, and I’m working hard to unlearn it. Like I said, I’m doing my best to fill my time with the hobbies I enjoy, and what’s more, allow myself to enjoy them without feeling guilty. I have to keep reminding myself that just because I’m not working, doesn’t mean I’m not busy!

[gaytawaycar]

typing this at 3 am because i’m on a really bad anxiety spiral due to some friend fallout and also putting this on my sideblog because the friend in question doesn’t follow me on here and it’s tangentially related to taylor. everything is under the cut but if anyone happens to read this and can offer advice i would greatly appreciate it

i’ve been a very covid conscious person ever since 2020, still to this day i wear a mask at work and will wear one when I go to indoor places like shopping. i work with children and elders on a regular basis due to my job at a children’s bookstore. my friend is also one such person who cares about covid and is very against going to big events unmasked/vaccinated. we’re twitter mutuals and we’ve been friends for over 5 years and he lives out of state from me.

i also went to the eras tour three times; nashville, chicago, and minneapolis. i got them in november way before anything presently and they were a gift from my folks. for all of these shows i wore a mask, but when i went to the show in chicago i took a few pictures of me without it on. when I posted one pic onto my twitter page my friend replied expressing disappointment in me not wearing a mask to the show and that i should know better. when i told him i had one and just wasn’t wearing it in that instance and that i felt slightly safer in an outdoor stadium he then told me that i should still be more careful because of the newer variants. i thanked him for his concern and assured him i was taking precautions on this trip (paid extra for a private train room in the amtrak to chicago, continued to wear a mask indoors and at work ect).

everything was fine after that, i then went to my minneapolis show. us bank stadium was indoors and while they have ventilation that’s good for regulating air with covid in mind i still wore a mask to the show. i took a pic of myself and my friend at the show, i am in a mask, and posted it to twitter. after the show i noticed that my friend was not interacting with me any more, he had disappeared from my notifications. he hadn’t blocked me, we still showed following each other and i could still see his posts. clearly he had muted me.

so here’s where i’m at. I feel the need to reach out to him because i’m honestly hurt that he would do this. i don’t know if i’m overreacting about the whole thing and i’m just spiralling for nothing. im scared that i might lose a friend over this and that i might have to defend myself to someone i thought was a friend. please i do not know how to go about this and my chest has been hurting from panic attacks all week and i’ve been losing sleep over this.

[ninjaghostdev]

When is Normal Again.

Came across this post from one Alex Navarro

I'd been thinking to myself a lot about this.

March 17th 2020. That's when the schools shut down after spring break. My oldest started spring break excited to go back to class. Then she couldn't.

March 20th 2020. We were in full lock down mode, have to work from home.

Jan 17th, 2023: we're still working from home

--

I can't even properly describe to my young kids how weirdly.. unassuming life was only 3 years ago today.

I look back on videos and photos, and I see essentially a completely different world than what's out there today.

Things that have come back to normal… are different now.

(For context, my oldest was in Grade 1 on Spring Break when her world got flipped upside down. My youngest was only 2 years old. Her entire conscious life has been under this pandemic, and her whole world is dominated by the environment and society it's created in the aftermath.)

My oldest got to enjoy making some early memories out and about with people she loved, doing adventures on the sky train, going to malls, indoor playgrounds, fairs, and school events. Some loved ones, by the way, who are no longer with us by the time my province started relaxing measures, and who never got to see the other side of covid measures.

We try to do a bunch of the things we used to do, but the vibe is completely different now. Pre-sign up to an indoor playground because now they limit slots to like 20? Pre-Schedule going to the swimming pool? The malls are.. effectively gutted and sad now, not much in them survived.

What's worse, my oldest used to enjoy going to extracurricular classes like cooking, art, dance, etc Nowadays she's lucky to get into swimming lessons. Everything else gets canceled on her due to "lack of interest" because no one is sending their kids to these things anymore.

My youngest by the grace of whatever deity has been able to enjoy some ballet classes.

My oldest however misses all these activities she used to be able to do. Her excitement to show us the new thing she baked. Her genuine enthusiasm over bringing home a new painting or paper craft. It's been almost 3 years since she's last been able to enjoy these.

My own world with my own interests has changed rapidly too. I dont want or need a lot. A computer, primarily. Some basic stuff like DnD rule books and such. I even got into firearms ownership as a Canadian, but even there I didn't seek much, just some basics.

But of course, thanks to the supply chain and production issues, it's made everything i'm apart of a scalpers paradise. I've been finding a lot less joy in these things. Mostly because I just want to forget anything better than what I have might be out there, because it's become to damn unattainable at this point, it might as well be.

And then the inflation hit. Now my family and I no longer live comfortably. In just a couple short years, i've gone from a life of, honestly comfortable plenty, to a life where im back living paycheck to paycheck. I didn't leave my employer, in fact i've been there 9 years this March. Im not making less, in fact i've never made more in my life. The rapid inflation, new installation of poorly timed taxes, and strained production rising prices across the board for just about everything..

I don't know, man.

It's been downright depressing watching my world, my country, and my province deteriorate into shittiness around me, and stay that way or get worse. Yeah I know there's people out there who have it far worse than me, but im allowed to feel this way too.

I wonder.

I really do wonder.

If I'll ever see a day again where I can wake up, take a nice breath, and go "Yeah, ok, this is close enough to the way things felt in October of 2019."

[addindiagroup]

Covid Impact on Commercial Real Estate Industry

The commercial real estate market in India has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has caused a number of trends to grow, including a rise in the demand for digital comforts and facilities devoted to health. Demand for flexible workspaces and the office sector has risen in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

The commercial real estate sector saw a massive decline following the enforcement of the nationwide lockdown in March 2020. Despite the odds, the industry has survived and shown resilience.

The commercial real estate sector has seen a rise in demand due to a consistent vaccination rate across the nation, and the pattern is expected to continue.

Companies from many sectors are expected to resume working from offices, which would result in a major increase in demand for commercial spaces.

Since they have been one of the most active sectors in terms of employing workers during the epidemic, the information technology (IT) industry will be the main source of growth for office spaces.

The current state of the commercial real estate sector

The pandemic is creating problems in all industries. The commercial real estate sector has seen the most severe changes out of all the affected industries.

The pandemic's effects on social isolation, lockdowns, quarantines, layoffs, and remote work have changed the type of demand for commercial real estate spaces.

The criteria of corporate occupiers have changed since the outbreak. Fair indoor air quality, touch-less technology, and proper office cubicle separation are ever more in demand.

The same is a significant shift from the times before the pandemic, when corporate tenants often looked out large lounges and meeting rooms with high occupancy.

Businesses want to provide their workers with a healthy and secure work environment that promotes new social isolation and worker safety protocols.

The rise in demand for flexible office spaces and commercial real estate

A flexible workplace provides a setting where workers from various companies, cultures, and fields can work, building community ties and increasing capacity.

By selecting flexible locations, businesses can save money on maintenance and utility expenditures.

Many companies are adopting a hybrid work model where some employees do their business from homes and others do so in offices. This method of operation ensures the long-term need for office space and the commercial real estate market.

Many enterprises have partnered with co working players to fulfill their workspace needs.

Commercial real estate demand increase in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities

Cities in Tiers 2 and 3 are seeing significant economic growth and a demand for commercial real estate due to rising population and governmental measures promoting digitalization.

Since the majority of companies began providing their employees with remote work options in early 2020, many working experts relocated to their hometowns.

As a result of the cost savings, occupiers find Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets to be appealing. Future market turns look after by traditional office space developers and flexible space providers.

The digitalization boom in commercial real estate sector

To understand changing client behavioral patterns, adapt to them, and create safe spaces on their properties, developers have started to invest in prop-tech.

In order to reduce employee-to-employee contact and improve safety, developers and co working operators are structuring their commercial real estate spaces to include touch-less entrance, automatic attendance, and voice-controlled features.

Workspace operators can track tenant profiles, tenant applications, and inspection requests, among other things, to simplify the leasing process and other related tasks as artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud-based technologies become more common.

As the workforce returns to work in the following months, prop-tech will address social isolation, air quality, and hygiene issues.

Technology-based innovations like sensor-activated spray, retina-based entry scanners, and digital ventilators will be important to the future of commercial real estate.

Client expectations of this type will rise as more CRE companies begin to provide such digital goods and services, driving more commercial developers and operators to adopt technology in the commercial real estate sector.

Source Link: https://addindiagroup.com/covid-impact-on-commercial-real-estate-industry/

[wormworker]

COVID currently (in the U.S.) (April 22, 2023)

(Sourced mostly from my sister who works with Disabled college students, many of whom have become more Disabled because of COVID and many of him are continuing to do school remotely because of how deadly it still is and/or their Disability has worsened to the point where they physically can't leave their home.)

-Still deadly, still widely going around, still disabling, still especially deadly to Disabled people & other minority communities

-Can be deadly to you even if you're otherwise very healthy, and vice versa.

-N95 masks keep you safe indoors for up to an hour.

-Masks need to be secured around your nose & under your chin -- all edges need to be flush with your face.

-Hospitals that have recently tried to drop their mask requirements have almost immediately had to go back to requiring masks because the transmission rate spiked as soon as the masks came off, of course.

-After you get COVID, you become more high-risk, not less.

-The politicians and corporations (yes, even the medical ones) do NOT care about your health and safety, they care about MONEY.

-Transmission rates become less severe when outdoors, but high-density crowds are still a risk outdoors.

-Vaccines work as much as they can against the national greedy negligence that has made the pandemic so much worse. For people who cannot get vaccines due to poverty, Disability, allergy, etc., it helps them and contributes to their safety for you to get vaccinated if you are able to.

-Many Disabled folks have still been in lockdown since March 2020 because we want and deserve to live. But we deserve a life outside, too.

-THE PANDEMIC WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER YEARS AGO IF EVERYONE HAD DONE THEIR PART IN THE FIRST PLACE (MOSTLY THE SHITTY GOVERNMENT) AND Y'ALL WOULDN'T STILL BE FIGHTING AND WHINING ABOUT RESTRICTIONS.

-I am Autistic; I truly do hate wearing masks in terms of sensory distress. My face sweats so badly under there and I also get mad acne. I do truly get it and I am so sorry.

-Other complaints about masks, the ones that are truly just arrogant and negligent -- what you should be whining about is the fact that the government let this virus run rampant for so long that you're still having to wear a mask in 2023.

-Fuck Biden, fuck literally all the politicians lol

-Don't feel bad about going out with your friends and such, just please do what you can to keep others safe.

-The government has treated Disabled people as expendable during this pandemic (i.e. clearly taking measures that make it obvious they don't care if we die).

Seeing people getting swept into deadly misinformation about COVID has similar vibes to watching people trying to take care of their pets while not knowing their body language, what plants are poison to them, what traumatizes them, etc.

[foolzstar]

fuck it, i said i would do it so here: why free range farms aren’t nearly as ethical as you think.

keep in mind that i am not an expert, however family rescued a bunch of chickens and have been keeping them for years, plus ive done research on what corperations do, as well as done research from the charity who we rescued these birds from, its not loads, but its definetly enough to compile a bunch of facts into a post just so that people can be more aware, but anyways:

1) free range hens only get to live around 18 months. this is because all farms care about is productivity, and a hens peak egg laying time is between 6-18 months in the standard conditions. some can lay every other day well into being three years old, but for the most part with the average hen, it starts to slow down around 18 months, and so unless the chickens are rescued, theyre killed on mass, usually by being gassed.

2) despite being free range, the conditions theyre kept in are still incredibly poor. hens are kept on mass, with anywhere from 50-200 hens per coop (or in the uk, barn, as due to the risk of avian flu, all free range hens have had to be kept in barns) the conditions, whilst not as bad as battery farms, are still not cleaned regularly enough, and due to the large flock sizes, many of the hens are forced to fight for food, leaving many of them malnurished, almost all of the hens that we rescued a few weeks ago were underweight, with one of them dying recently due to this.

As well as this, in order to lessen the chances of any of the hens escaping, almost all the hens have thier wings clipped so theyre unable to properly fly, and in some cases, the birds beaks also get clipped, and due to being kept in such large masses, many medical issues the birds my face go unnoticed, things like potential infections, deformities that could affect their wellbeing, or any illness are either ignored or have them killed for it because, same with the reasons their lifespans tend to be so short, it lessens productivity. 

3) flock sizes, whiilst i did mention them in the previous pont, flock sizes are technically be a whole factor on its own because of how it impacts the chickens behavior.

hens have this thing called a pecking order, a heriarchy that basically decided between the hens, whos number one depending on how strong they are. this determinds things like who gets to eat food first, who gets the nicest bedding, as well as who gets to be quite literally, pecked at the least. the pecking order is decided through a physical fight, the lower down on the pecking order a hen is, the more theyre picked on, feathers plucked out, open wounds, you name it. in smaller, more tame flocks, this tends to be alright, feather plucking is kept to a minimum because the fight for who gets the nicest thing is less dire. 

in the case of farmed hens, where hundreds of hens are fighting over who gets the most food, the fighting can get brutal, most of our hens came to us with missing festhers around their butts, necks, heads, even our healthiest bird, peach, still came with many of her feathers missing that we are trying to help grow back.

...

i understand that they may only be a few points, but theyre very major points that do affect chickens wellbeings on a large scale.

in no way am i saying to never eat an egg again, my family eats eggs almost every day (we’ve had to with the 3-4 eggs a day we have piling up in our kitchen) and being vegan isnt an option for most people, in most cases is actually more detrimental to the planet if you measure it by water consumption and food miles with how far things like soy beans, almonds and coconuts have, but i feel as though its important to be aware of the conditions that your food comes from, not to guilt you out of wanting to eat them, but to make you think of little things that you can do to make the demand for eggs from mass productions slightly less.

not everyone has the privalige to do so, i know that im incredibly lucky that the flat my family lives in has such open rules about pets and has such a large garden in the suburbs where conditions are great for raising hens, but if it is a possiblilty i really do recomend trying to do anything you can, no matter how small.

buy from local farms or from farmers markets, where the people selling their produce tend to do it on a much smaller scale than most corperations. adopt hens, chickens are actually amazing pets, that when raised properly make amazing companions, i could probably make an entire post for a guide to raising chickens going through all the different breeds, how much space they need, eggs, life spans, the works, i may be a ninjago fan account but i could definetly be a chicken blog if given the oppertunity.

the saying peta likes to shove down our throats that theres “no such thing as an ethical egg” is bullshit, and, corperations are to blame for most of climate change and the harm that is done to animals, but small acts done by everyone can still make a difference

[kekoma]

— sakusa as your boyfriend.

omi simps... this one for you and your love for mr. clean with hair. hope you enjoy.

hmm you smell that? cleaning products~

and wait? is that music playing? CLEANING MUSIC at that.

you really want to date mr. clean and look at his piss color jacket some days? very concerned for you babes.

get help. mwah 💋 

jokes~ no omi slander here but lets get into it.

already have to make it known... dating omi requires a LOT of patience. you have to be understanding of his germ phobia or else the relationship really doesn’t work.

in the beginning, dating him was considered difficult.

you aren’t able to touch him or truly act like a couple in love since he had rules you MUST follow.

but we aren’t here to talk about what it’s like to have date him in the beginning— we’re focusing on dating now aka you two have been dating for some time now.

to start off, you’re already attending his games and calming down his nerves when around such a big crowd.

something about your sweet words followed along with gentle touches takes his focus off of everything. 

you’re basically his paradise away from everything that troubles him and his lucky charm so truly be prepared to attend every single game he has or else he’s feeling strange.

definitely the type of boyfriend who remembers dates, things you’ve talked about and etc.

“ummm omi... why is there a rilakkuma plush in a sleeping bag on my bed?”

“you mentioned wanting it but couldn’t get it because it was sold out. i was able to grab my hands on one before they sold out again. also don’t worry about cleaning it, already did it for you.”

“i could tell— thank you for buying it for me babe! i didn’t think you’ll remember.”

“do you think that low of me or something? i’m not going to forget things like that when it makes you happy.”

forgot to mention... his bluntness never leaves the relationship but omi will occasionally cut down on it if he deems certain words may come off too harsh or if you’re the type of person who can’t handle blunt words often.

omi + gifts = nothing too major.

if he isn’t buying things you’ve shown him/talk about then he tends to buy small gifts for you. doesn’t seem like the type to buy flashy and super super expensive gifts— just something that shows he put a lot of thought into what he picked out because he thought it fits you perfectly.

automatically he’s teaching you how to play volleyball.

it’s his way of spending time and bonding in the relationship. he wants you to see the joy in it as well but if you don’t then it’s completely fine. he’s not gonna force you.

although if you do play along with him then he sometimes looks at you serious and attempts to make a joke.

“perhaps we shouldn’t play too often...”

“heh why? scared i’m gonna beat you and take your place omi?”

“matter of fact, yes. you’re already on the road to becoming better than me. i see that as a threat and i might have to eliminate you...” 

you’ll think he’s dead serious until he flashes that beautiful smiles of his and admits he’s just joking with you.

yeah— omi smiling is quite rare but you get to see it often because he loves you a lot and certain actions/expressions you make causes that smile to come out randomly.

sakusa + pda = ???

he isn’t as hesitated to touch you like he did before since being with you for so long, he was able to deem you as clean (in his mind) and doesn’t worry like before.

so you already know what time it is.

in public; omi is comfortable enough to hold your hands. no doubt about it especially when you two are walking together somewhere— he’s already searching to hold them.

kissing is alright too yet he won’t really do it in front of a large crowd— you only get that when less people are around or none at all.

something he likes doing with you is wrapping his arms around you in the corner of a room. especially if you two end up in a crowd place then he’s already finding a corner to bring you to and hold you.

but public pda is more on the minimum side since he’s still being observant of his surroundings and still thinking of those germs.

however in private— you can get away with more stuff.

cuddling? yes. kissing anywhere on his face or having him kiss you anywhere back? heh yeahhh. wanna touch/play with his hair while he’s holding you? omi is letting you get away with it.

and when it comes to cuddling, omi  definitely loves putting his head in the crook of your neck while sometimes mumbling how much he loves you and thanking you for putting up with him.

also— he LOVES when you play with his hair.

not much to speak on as long as nothing messy happens.

now let’s talk about nicknames.

top nicknames for you are <3 bud, angel, love and idiot/dummy.

although your name on his phone is none of those nicknames... it’s just ‘y/n💛’ :( rip.

hmm dates? oh they’re there but most of them are indoor dates.

no need to explain why but omi does try his best to make them fun at least.

sometimes he pushes himself out of his comfort zone to take you out on outdoors dates such as an cafe, bookstore and picnics at the park or beach, but those places have to be small/not have a large crowd.

but to conclude this before it gets longer— dating sakusa isn’t that bad  to the point the relationship stays ‘stuck’ at that difficult stage. he’s willing to work out something to make it work due to the fact he really loves you.

overall; 10/10 mr.clean is worth it but be prepared to clean with him some days.

© all content belongs to kekoma 2020. do not repost, modify or translate.

[desertdollranch]

i’ve heard you say that secondhand ag prices have gone up a lot since 2020-ish (which is exactly when i started collecting again unfortunately for me), do you think they’re like that for good or can you see them going back down in the future? thanks for reading!

Sure, it's possible. Doll prices have gone up and down a lot over the years, so there may be a time when they drop down to what they used to be a couple of years ago.

I do want to emphasize that the most dramatic changes in price have mostly been for collector-quality stuff. Like for Pleasant Company dolls in mint condition in their boxes, or long-retired historical accessory sets with small pieces, prices have exploded as the population of Serious Collectors has risen. This is especially true since the start of the pandemic when people were shifting their focus to more indoor or solo activities. People are also selling off their old vintage dolls and their Pleasant Company accessories because they really do need the money now more than ever, and I get why that drives up prices.

I can't fault people for selling their beloved childhood white bodied dolls for $250 for that reason. Because the biggest factor in this price change right now is inflation in the American economy. It's at a 40-year high. Everything has gotten more expensive, even more so than this time last year.

So if that situation ever changes, hopefully it will be reflected in the secondhand doll prices too. In the meantime, all is not lost. Doll collecting as a hobby hasn't yet driven out collectors on a budget. Dolls in gently used condition who aren't particularly rare or in high demand are usually more affordable as they've always been. A lot of them are still selling for $30 and $40. Less rare historical outfits can be found for under $25. And there are also other brands to go to if you can't afford AG stuff. (I'm actually totally okay with what My Life As is doing by copying AG stuff, like I pointed out in yesterday's post. I just think it's hilarious how obvious it is and how fast they get it to market. Do please give them your money if you like what they make!)

[ivesambrose]

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

As promised, a late Christmas but early new year gift from my side. 💚

Choose the screen you feel strikes a memory from your childhood or your dreams or something that's been on your mind lately xo

To book a personal reading with me DM or email me at jovescorpioreadings@gmail.com

1.

Life hasn't been as harmonious due to the obvious circumstances have made you feel that this is your new reality now. Finding a new normal in where you've always been. But that's far from the truth.

Maybe you have strayed from something you had faith in, but in 2021 its time to get back in touch with that again. But I'm not seeing blind faith here, there's a sense of clarity. One you didn't have before and caused you foggines. I literally see a thick fog. You're going to have a chance to live what you've missed out on the year before.

There will be a boost in self esteem as well as desire to focus on focus on the sweetness moments in life has to offer. It's almost as though you're bored of the news, bored of the bitterness and being concerned. So to put it in simpler terms, your attitude has become rather Yolo.

I see some of you building immunity, focusing on what you eat, maybe even taking supplements for health. I literally see someone weight lifting this could be as literal as building strength / muscle. Good for you!

The start of the year it seems an idea will take a tangible form. I see some of you committed to learning something new or working on something that you would like to put out the public. I see someone devoted to some form of expression honestly.

It's also advised to protect your energy not everyone is going to be happy with your goals and plans.

You'll also be able to see beyond current circumstances. So long term plans will be the focus as well as a general attitude of, "I don't care anymore, I'm gonna do what it takes eitherway."

I also see you learning more about finances, savings, investments etc

There will be opportunities to travel or what was once halted will pick up.

Aquarius and virgo season are significant.

Some keys themes are,

- knowing when to leave a situation discreetly.

- again, know when to leave.

- recognizing opportunities and seizing them instead of awaiting validation or looking back at the ones that didn't bring you fulfillment.

2.

I feel you've been restless and anxious throughout the year so now that sudden patience and understanding hits you, you're unfamiliar with this feeling. The, "I don't have to worry anymore you mean? I don't have to wake up feeling not messed up? That's suspicious!"

I see some of you finding some comfort in walking while listening to music, picturing different scenarios etc. You could be walking indoors or outdoors, doesn't matter. All I know is that it'll ground you. I see you feeling a little more stable as though you can rely on yourself.

I see you attracting a lot of wealth honestly. Money is just energy, eitherway you'll attract it. I think you'll tap into that power honestly. You might even find yourself having purchased something you consider a luxury item sometime this year. Increase in wealth will also give you a boost in other areas of your life. You may also take a liking towards warmer colors. You may like gold over black combination a lot too.

I'm seeing you heal an old would. Wanting more adrenaline in your life too. Some of you may dance, take up dancing etc something that gets the blood pumping.

There's also a theme of getting in touch with the emotions you have often kicked under the rug or have shamed yourself for and left unexpressed.

Why do I sense a more feral energy in some of you? Like you've been quiet for so long and settled for things but deep inside you are a wild, wild thing.

A cycle of turmoil is complete, the person you were in jan 2020 and the one you are in Jan 2021 are extremely different people.

There's also a connection you have been dreaming of or getting signs of but you're fearing the worst it seems too? Don't worry about it too much,

Significant months are Aries and Leo season.

Key themes for this year,

- relocation

- long distance travel

- flexibility

- multiple jobs

- silently knowing you're the baddest bitch ever

3.

Calming of your nerves. No thought head empty. But in the best way possible since you've flushed out a lot of toxicity from your life. There's probably something you've incorporated maybe an affirmation, hobby, routine etc that you're going to be or are advised to be persistent about. Some of you may also be suffering from sleeplessness, nightmares, restlessness etc maybe even headaches, eye strain. You're truly advised to make your health well being your priority. Calming music, meditation, painting etc will help with this.

Your gift of visualization will be very useful for some reason.

You may have felt unrequited love in the past but this year brings about more synchronicity and balance. Its simply because you've chosen to bring the priority to you. So you won't be settling for less.

The biggest theme for you is breaking an ancestral pattern and shedding old skin. Don't be surprised if the whole year feels like a Pokémon evolution for you. It's high time to follow what you want instead of what others want for you.

I see some of you leaving a hostile/exhausting situation/residence to somewhere much calmer.

There's a key theme of rebirth and heeding the call of something you couldn't do earlier. Being more active in pursuit of your goals. I see you determined to do something for yourself.

I also see clarity of thought more assertiveness in your part and knowing when to command things into fruition.

Significant months are capricorn and taurus season. Even Gemini season.

Key themes for the year:

- don't blind yourself to the love you literally just manifested.

- it's okay to be selfish of your earned resources.

- as your shed your old skin, don't expect yourself to not have an upgrade.

- you indeed won and their gaslighting did not.

4.

You feel you have lost your shine it seems...

As though you don't have the gifts or the right amount of talent or perhaps you feel disconnected with the things that once made you happy.

2021 is all about finding that sparkle and dropping the heaviness one day at a time. It'll be a transformative period from feeling lack lustre to discovering a whole new array of things you feel connected to. A lot of awakened creativity without the fear of having to prove to others that, "Hey look, I did this thing please validate." no. Do this cuz you want to. Do this even if you think its bad. You have to be persistent and allow yourself to improve.

I see a lot of you channeling certain emotions into creative expression or achieving something. Also a lot of connecting with nature by yourself since you feel the need to maybe isolate a bit or disconnect from people who drain you off your energy.

You'll be reaping a lot of rewards for your earlier efforts as well as the efforts you're going to put in. I get a picture of a tree filled with apples, the tree certainly belongs to you and you have your sweet rewards with you. Your patience has paid off.

You may also be drawn to cool tones or cool colors. You'll also learn that you don't need to be right or perfect all the time. It's a growing stage and if you don't learn from your mistakes then what's the point. I just see this year as being you keeping your peace and not dwindling in others business anymore simply because you seek peace from extra drama. I also truly see you dropping the need to be right and being stubborn cuz that's been hindering you for the longest time. There are people although few seeking to guide and help but you may have been subconsciously rejecting it.

I also wouldn't be surprised if some of you break up with current partners or a friend group to go different ways. You've been straying form things and not really growing. This year might be full of a lot of self awareness for you.

There's an opportunity that brings you emotional fulfillment of sorts too but you'll be lowkey about it. I also see you wanting to seek refuge from your own thoughts at one point. If you're an artist of any kind, this year is gonna be a benchmark for you. I can tell that. Perhaps admist this soul searching you'll find someone that aligns with you too. (this could be romantic or platonic)

Significant seasons are taurus and likely Leo season.

Main themes I'm seeing are that of,

- Finding people you feel at home with

- learning what you want to commit to before you decide in who.

- taking the risk to take certain journeys by yourself. You may think you're alone, but you'll meet souls just like you along the way.

- leave your comfort zone. Please.

5.

You're truly about the collect the biggest glow up award and I would like to congratulate you in advanced. That's it. That's the overview.

Okay I'm kidding ofc I'm not gonna leave you at just that.

Something that is long inevitable will happen. You have been waiting for this. It could be a travel plan that did not come through because of the previous year. But whatever it is that you're waiting for is making its way to you and not just that, you're making your way towards something or some place to.

You maybe going the distance for something that has a lot to do with your career as well.

You have finally unlocked a hidden fire within you (for real I see a scarlet red and a flame) that is just so stunning like?? Some of you might just embody this sexy siren energy. Do not be surprised if you attract people left, right and center this year. But then again I see y'all being invested in your passions and one of these passions is being your best like, there's just so much 7 rings by Ariana energy here what even? Please own it!

Expect love offers. Expect love to come in. Although I do hesitancy here since a lot of you just had this sudden glow and are simply maybe not used to tenderness, honesty and affection.

I also see leadership, management and business skills is something you will learn this year. Also expect hearing certain messages in conversations and music I feel a lot of you simply connect deeply with music or it's connected with your life path.

Key themes for the year,

- A long term romance coming in. This person is such a charm, I feel as though when you were busy tending to your goals and looking at how far you've come, they come in for you. You saw them coming but it still feels unexpected.

Significant seasons are, cancer, virgo and scorpio.

- money saved secretly. Patience and constant efforts bringing in monetary rewards.

- connecting with like minded people

- travel, skincare, health, aesthetics. 

- learning to be more graceful and composed

- slow progress is still progress. The most beneficial kind.

[astrovian]

Richard Armitage interview for Radio Times (31/12/21)

Full transcript under cut

It’s hard to believe that Netflix nail-biter The Stranger only came out last year. The first collaboration between Harlan Coben and Richard Armitage dropped on the streaming service at the tail-end of January 2020, making a big splash upon its initial launch and no doubt picking up some extra viewers as the nation gradually retreated indoors. Fans were quick to demand a direct follow-up, which sadly never materialised, but a spiritual successor arrives on New Year’s Eve in the form of Stay Close.

“I would love to have gone back to do season two, but it was a closed story,” Armitage tells RadioTimes.com. “So when the opportunity came to do another one with the same team, same writer – different cast, obviously – it was a no brainer. I said ‘yes’ immediately and then started reading the book, and just thought, ‘here we go again’. It’s a complete page-turner.”

Both stories involve an individual’s seemingly perfect life being thrown into chaos by buried secrets, but Cush Jumbo (The Beast Must Die) portrays the polished middle-class suburbanite this time around. That side of Armitage has been firmly locked away as he inhabits the role of dishevelled photographer Ray Levine, whose once-promising life was reduced to shambles following a devastating trauma 17 years ago, from which he has never recovered.

“It’s where me and the character are so poles apart, because actually I move on from things really quickly,” the North & South star reveals. “I can pick myself up, compartmentalise it and move on. I mean, you do that all the time as an actor. When you’re faced with massive disappointments when you don’t get work, you just forget about it and you find yourself in a forward trajectory. But Ray hasn’t been able to do that.”

Armitage attributes this stagnation to the memory problems Ray has experienced since that fateful night and the fact that he has nobody “to guide him” through the recovery process. His understanding of the character is clear and confident, having carried out exhaustive research in preparation for Stay Close, creating a “rich” biography for Ray that extends far beyond what is laid out in the source material. Not only did this inform his performance, but it also proved an invaluable resource when it came to crafting the look of certain scenes.

“The production designer would email me and say, ‘what do you think Ray’s flat looks like? What kind of things does he have?’ And of course, I had the answers, because I’d done a lot of the background work,” he explains. “So when I got to set, it’s almost like nothing needed to be touched, it was so perfect down to the half-finished Pot Noodles on the couch and the cheap white bread that he was eating… In-between takes, I would just flop down on the couch as if it was my apartment because it felt so right, which I just love.”

The disparity between Ray and The Stranger‘s Adam Price is quite deliberate, as the team at Red Production Company were keen to win Armitage back, but “concerned” he would feel the material was “too close” in style and tone. The actor speaks highly of his collaborators there, including founder Nicola Shindler, describing them as “good friends” that he hopes to work with again, but adds the caveat that their next project is unlikely to be yet another Harlan Coben adaptation.

“I’m always looking to do something radically different to what I’ve done before,” he begins. “I’d be really surprised, [as] much as I like Harlan and how much he likes me, I think it would be pushing our luck to do a third. But never say never.”

Netflix has certainly invested heavily in the mystery author, brokering a deal in 2018 that will see up to 14 of his novels turned into streaming shows or films over the next few years. So far, these adaptations have been spread across Europe, with productions setting up shop in the UK, Poland, Spain and France, despite most of the books being set around the United States. Armitage credits Coben’s understanding of human behaviour for why these stories have resonated so strongly all over the globe, while he also hails Netflix for bringing the consumption of international content into the mainstream.

“These shows are not curated specifically for Spain or for Eastern Europe [or] whatever it is… they’re not embargoed,” he continues. “Sometimes in the past you’d think, ‘well, that’s never going to work in America, so we won’t sell it to America’. With Netflix, anything goes anywhere. So we’re watching stuff from all over the world and whether it’s got subtitles or not, I think people are just fascinated with how it works.

“It makes it more interesting if it’s not in your language. [When] I watched Money Heist, Netflix dubbed it for me by default, and I spent a day looking for how to watch it in the original language… because the voice is so connected to the person. I’ve got great people that dub me all over the world, but I want to hear the actor’s real voice. I don’t want to hear another actor voicing their words in English; it’s like you’re removing such a huge chunk of the character, particularly in high drama.”

Armitage himself has been part of this global push. Not only has he just finished work on a Spanish film, but earlier this year he appeared in South Korean blockbuster Space Sweepers, which landed on Netflix seven months before Squid Game brought increased attention to the country’s cultural output. It’s the latest in a long line of genre work, having previously played Marvel’s Wolverine in two audio dramas, as well as bagging key roles in animated fantasy series Castlevania, psychological horror Hannibal, and Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy.

“As a teenager, I was really into fantasy, magic, and then science fiction, so the Tolkien world, the CS Lewis world, [and] then sort of moved into Isaac Asimov and the early science fiction writers,” he recalls. “So when my agent came to me and said, ‘Look, they’re scouting the world for the cast of The Hobbit’, I was immediately engaged because I knew those books, I knew the world and I was almost salivating.

“So when somebody comes to me with a brilliant science fiction script, like Space Sweepers, I’m immediately transported and my brain goes into that place. It doesn’t necessarily put you in line for any awards or anything like that, because they’re often sidelined in terms of critical acclaim. But in terms of an audience and a practitioner, I love it, so I dive straight in… The whole green screen thing doesn’t bother me, because my brain is so full of the imagery anyway, I can project myself into that world.”

Armitage agrees that sci-fi and fantasy is deserving of more recognition on the awards circuit, naming The Hobbit co-star Andy Serkis as someone who “should have won an Oscar by now” for his work in the field of motion capture. Nevertheless, he’s far from done with either genre, revealing he’s keeping an eye out for an as-yet-unrealised dream project.

“Science fiction is still an untapped fantasy of my own. I’d love to do a really, really well executed comprehensive science fiction series, which is not so far away from us [in terms of realism],” he says, explaining his ideal project would be closer in tone to Black Mirror than Star Trek. “So if the door opens for me to take part in those things, I’ll jump.”

[pixiedoodlein]

I’m so fucking mad that a year and a half into this pandemic I am back to 11th hour debating another year of homeschool. The first stretch of homeschool, in NYC, when the toddler was a baby, and husband was home on unemployment, was good, nice even, a quiet piece of something good when the world outside was falling apart. The next stretch, the Oklahoma stretch, with a particularly climby toddler, husband working 10 hour days, me doing remote contract work, somewhere we had no family around to help w/ childcare, was challenging. I was not always my best self. Some days were delightful, muffins and math games. Other days I was more Miss Trunchbull than Miss Honey, fractions were squeezed in between crying (usually mine) and netflix (way too much of hers), and I held on to any shred of sanity by telling myself “just a little longer, just until the vaccines.”

Well here we are. Husband & I have been vaccinated for months, but the kids aren’t yet. The upstate NY town we moved to is a very small town (pop: 838), was mostly untouched by previous waves. When we got here, I couldn’t understand why everyone was so lax about it- no masks, no panic. Our first day here, when I came home from the market and saw through the window a gaggle of unmasked kids in my living room (the neighbors coming to welcome us, they heard a kid moved in) I almost had a heart attack. In fact, I was so tired from the drive from OKC that for a moment I actually thought I was at the wrong house, that I was hallucinating, because how in the world could there be unmasked bodies in my living room.

Then I started talking to people here. And I realized that the way I thought they were insane for not being deathly afraid of covid, they thought I was insane for being petrified. Because the disease hadn’t hit here; their businesses were destroyed and their kids were out of school (in a rural area with barely functional internet, remote school = a lost year) and their lives were totally fucked up, for a disease that never arrived at their doorstep. I came to understand why they weren’t worried, why here life looked (almost) normal. I told them about what it was like to live somewhere covid tore through, the freezer trucks of bodies on the FDR Drive and my previously healthy 27yld brother so sick with it the first spring he thought he was about to die (but too scared to go to a hospital), my dad’s relative in the next NYC wave on a vent for months and lucky to be alive but may never walk again, the doctors in OKC pleading on the news to please wear a fucking mask because the hospitals were fucking full, and the neighbors stopped thinking I was psycho when I carried extra masks for their kids, and made them put them on, when I took them to town for ice cream. I never stopped masking. But we did indoor dine here (once, BBQ, it wasn’t delicious enough for how anxious I felt) and I did bring all the kids, including my toddler, to a fairly crowded children’s museum in the big (small) city an hour away, where the rest of us were masked but the one with his hands in his mouth, who was all up in other kids’ faces, the one who really should be masked, wasn’t because he won’t leave it on for more than a minute.

Actually it’s a lie to say that I never stopped masking- I have dashed into little stores here, without one, because I’m vaxed! It’s safe here! Covid felt done. We had friends come here to visit this summer. Friends who are vaxed, but that doesn’t seem to really matter enough anymore. We had the neighbors over for meals, indoors (you see, more indoor dining! A minute ago I was just thinking restaurants, but why would plagues only spread in restaurants?). They had us for meals. The girls are a crew, new best friends, making my daughter’s life here so, so much happier, constant sleepovers (their kids were at our house this afternoon; my kid is at their house right now). The parents and grandparents are wonderful, making my life here, and husband’s life here, so much easier, so much better. We help them with stuff, they help us with stuff, there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t see each other, unmasked. Some of the adults in their household are vaxed; some of the adults in their household are not. The kids are all too young to be vaxed. But it (living, doing shit again, seeing people again) really stopped feeling scary; it really felt like everything was fine, normal-ish, normal-er. The end of the pandemic felt in sight.

I signed my child up for school here. Real school, not mommy school, school with a school bus. She was a little anxious, I had to talk her into it, I sold it hard, I bought her whatever pair of new sneakers she wanted for her new school (she hasn’t had gym class in a year and a half; for a phase in Oklahoma she wore one boot and one sandal every day, why not). She wasn’t anxious about sneakers or covid; she was anxious that maybe she hadn’t learned enough in homeschool (I am not a teacher! I did not homeschool because I am good at it or love it or wanted to, I homeschooled because I was scared of her getting covid at school and dying), that she would be behind. She isn’t behind. I followed the real school curriculum as best I could (as in: sometimes totally and sometimes not at all), and somehow, when I gave her the standardized “real school” test “at the end of the year” (aka the day I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to focus on my work or I wasn’t going to have an income, the day I’d decided we’d done as much as we could and it was time to be done), she sailed through it, this kid is smart. Smart as in needs to be in actual real fucking school to stay smart and learn and reach her potential.

She got excited- one of the neighbor kids is in her grade. The other kid is older- but the school is small, she’d see her tons. She was excited; I was excited. I registered her for school. Her new teacher sent a nice note. We all were excited. She’s never taken the school bus before but the neighbors take it and she’d be fine on the bus with her besties, the bus would pick her up in front of their house since there’s nowhere to turn around up our hill (we are VERY rural), they’d all get on and off the bus together. She has been backpack shopping. We have been discussing what she’ll have for breakfast (honey nut Cheerios), what she wants me to pack for lunch (she says just Goldfish, I say turkey sandwich, we’re working on it).

But now, 18 days before school starts here, I am thisclose to pulling her out, to embarking on another lovely (not), gratifying (not) year of homeschool, because of covid, delta. When we got to our new home in our new tiny town in June, there was no covid here. Now, our county is listed by the CDC as a high transmission area (is there anywhere in the US that isn’t?). 80% of senior citizens here are vaxed; 50% of the total population is, well below the national average. 15 cases per 100,000, in a county of 100,000. I guess this is less rampant than our previous pandemic locales, NYC (currently 25/100K), OKC (49/100K). This is splitting hairs, everywhere is bad. This is what panic does to me: are we better or worse for every decision we’ve made in the past year and a half, every decision that got us here? There are fewer cases here but fewer people and fewer vaccinated people and fewer ICU beds. We aren’t safe even here, but at least we are happy (happy aside from fear of delta death).

I don’t know whether to send my kid to school in 18 days. There will be masks but masks aren’t enough (how many masks do I make her wear? two, ten, a thousand?). This choice feels crazy— in March 2020, when that covid was mostly sparing kids, I yanked her out of school. Now, this covid does hurt kids. How much longer, how many more years, can parents be in this position to make this nightmare choice? What will hurt her more: school or no school? There are vaccines, more than enough in America. We shouldn’t be having to make this choice.

As it is, because of toddler— not because of toddler, because of being a parent to children in a pandemic— my work life, and husband’s, will be severely impacted this year, again. I can’t send him to daycare because he’s too little to leave a mask on (he won’t even leave his pants on!) in a room full of other unmasked toddlers, whose families may or may not be vaxd, may or may not wear masks (there has been a noticeable increase in supermarket mask wearing since we got here, but still not enough, is any of it enough?), may or may not be going to parties and weddings and funerals, daycare providers who may or may not be doing all the same. This means I can only apply to remote jobs, so I can be home with him. Husband has some flexibility, more than he did in OKC, but god forbid he has to work while I have a work call or meeting or work due I didn’t manage to get done at 4am or 11pm when the house is quiet. He can’t bring toddler to work with him, his work is up on scaffold, stenciling ceilings. This will be another year of me muting myself on Zooms while toddler pulls his diaper off and hurls poop at the cat. Would it really be so much harder to also be trying to teach parts of speech to our daughter at the same time? Yes, it would, but I don’t know if I can send my kids back out into the world until they’re vaccinated. I am counting the days, holding my breath, until they can be.

I used to believe in personal choice. I don’t anymore. I want this shit to be mandated, I want the government to line us up and force mRNA into holdouts’ arms, I want it to be required, to be able to function in and interact with and benefit from society in any way, shape, or form. I have been very lucky in the pandemic. Privilege stacked on privilege on privilege, to be fussing over my Zooms in my hamlet. I had been pretty pandemic perky, baking my pies and playing with my pandemic pets and (thinking about) doing puzzles, but I’ve reached my breaking point. This shit could be done, but it’s not, and I’m scared it never will be.

[thedanceronthestreets]

PEDRO PASCAL GQ GERMANY - OCTOBER 2020

Original text by Esma Annemon Dil

Fotos by Doug Inglish

Styling by Simon Robins

Translated by @thedanceronthestreets

Intro: A broken tooth could almost have been the reason for our meeting with Pedro Pascal to be cancelled - and with that our conversation about roots, his new movie and times of change. 

Interview: It is almost eery how empty the streets of Los Angeles are under the gleaming sun. While Europe is finding its "new normal", people in L. A. are cutting their own hair even without being neurotics. Many of them have not seen their friends in half a year. The pandemic is out of control. So are the reactions to the situation. Inviting someone to a "distance drink" in the backyard can lead to the same consternation as proposing a relationship partner exchange. 

All the more of a surprise was Pedro Pascal's immediate confirmation. To the drink, not the partner exchange. He is one of the winners this year - and if Corona had not forced the movie industry to go on a holiday, he probably would not have had the time for this drink. After "Game of Thrones", the series in which his head was squished, followed 2015 the leading role in "Narcos" as a DEA agent on the hunt for Pablo Escobar, and now the leap onto the big Hollywood screen. As of 1. October the Chilean will appear in the blockbuster "Wonder Woman 1984". Furthermore, the second season of the "Star Wars" series "The Mandalorian" will start in October with him as the main character - unfortunately underneath the helmet. But we all seem to be under the same helmet in 2020. It is this man we want to meet, who worked as a waiter in New York a couple of years ago. Whose parents are political refugees that settled in Texas, and one day their son decided to walk into a drama club in high school. 

And then the cancellation. While we were preparing the house and garden for Pedro's drink and fashion shoot, which isn't an easy task under L. A.'s restrictions, his management called in with terrible news: Pedro has - no, not Corona - had to receive emergency surgery due to a sore tooth and is now lying in bed with a swollen cheek, making talking or shooting impossible. The sun shines onto empty streets. And our empty garden. 

A few days later, he stands in front of the door anyway, no huge bulge in his face, but stitches in his gum. No limousine service that dropped him off, he arrived in his own car and picked up his makeup artist on the way. He helps her to carry in all the equipment and states first and foremost: "I've got time today!" What a star! It does not seem like we are about to ask him how he managed to become a Hollywood sensation, but rather him asking us that question. Pedro Pascal! So, what kind of star is he then? 

Pedro Pascal: Sorry for ruining your plans. The operation was a total emergency. 

GQ: Really? We were wondering whether the swelling was the result of a secret trip to the plastic surgeon. Apparently, because of the quarantine in Hollywood, their schedules are packed. 

Sorry to disappoint you. A few days before our appointment I raced to the hospital with a tooth fracture and the worst pain I've ever felt - a hospital where the severe Corona cases are treated. I was unable to contact any dentists! Right before I parked, a specialist called back. I'll spare you the details of the surgery, gruesome. The pain was excruciating despite the 10 anaesthetic shots. The doctor said I wasn't the only one going through this, a lot of people grind their teeth at night thanks to stress. 

What are you most afraid of at the moment? 

The way the government is handling the pandemic scares me more than the virus itself. The lack of intelligent crisis management is a moral disgrace. The leadership crisis makes orphans out of all of us - we're left to fend for ourselves. 

How have you spent the last few months? 

With frozen pizza in jogging trousers in Venice Beach. I live in a rear building that's in the garden belonging to a family. In reality there are enough good takeout restaurants around that area, but for some reason I like salami pizza from the supermarket. 

That doesn't exactly sound like the movie star lifestyle. What does it feel like to be forced from top speed to zero? 

Considering the things happening in this world, my own state really isn't the top priority. But I would have to lie, if I said I wasn't disappointed. The entire cast and crew of "Wonder Woman 1984" put so much heart and soul into the production. We had so much fun on set. I had hoped to carry this feeling of exuberance around the globe to the openings of this movie. 

You are part of a political, socialist family that fled the Pinochet regime in Chile. What do you remember from back then? 

My sister and I were born in Chile, but I was only nine months old when we claimed asylum in Denmark. From there, we moved to San Antonio in Texas, where my dad worked as a doctor in a hospital. 

Texas isn't exactly considered to be socialist utopia. How well did you settle in? 

San Antonio isn't a cowboy city but rather very diverse with large Asian, Afro-American and Latino communities. In my memory it's a romantic place, culturally inclusive. The cultural shock only hit when we moved to Orange County in California later. Suddenly, the environment was white, preppy and conservative. 

How were you welcomed in California? 

To this day I'm ashamed when I think about how I let my classmates call me Peter without correcting them. I'm Pedro. Even without growing up in Chile, the country and language are part of me. I was quite unhappy in that place. At least I was able to switch schools and visit one in Long Beach, where I felt more comfortable. With its theatre programme, I found my path. 

Could you visit your family's homeland as a child? 

Yes, after my parents ended up on a list of expats that were permitted to re-enter the country. First, there was a big family gathering, then me and my sister were parked at some relatives' place for a few months while my parents returned to Texas. They probably needed a break from us. They'd had us at a very young age, had a vibrant social life, and my mother was doing her doctorate in psychology. 

Was your mother a typical young psychologist that tested her knowledge at home? 

You mean whether I was her lab rat? Absolutely. I can remember weird sessions camouflaged as games, where someone would watch my reactions to different toys. Even though I couldn't have been older than 6, I knew what was happening. My favourite thing was to be asked about my dreams. That was always a great opportunity to make up fantastic stories. 

Was that your first performance? 

Definitely! My strong imagination alarmed my mother, because I'd rather live in my fantasy world than in real life. I didn't like school. I ended up in the "problematic kid" category. At some point the subjects got more interesting and my grades improved. So many children are unnecessarily diagnosed with learning disabilities without considering that school can be daunting. Why is it acceptable to be bored out of your mind in class, when there are more stimulating ways to convey knowledge?

With everything happening in the world this summer: Do you believe that social hierarchy structures are genuinely being reconsidered? 

Hopefully. After the lockdown my first contact with people was at the Black Lives Matter protest. The atmosphere was peaceful and hopeful until the police got involved and provoked violence. At least during these times we can't avoid problems or distract ourselves from them as easily as we usually do. It seems that the pandemic provided us with a new sense of clarity: we don't want to go on like this. 

The trailer of "Wonder Woman 1984" represents the optimism of the 80s. That almost makes one feel nostalgic nowadays. 

That holds true. It's two hours of happiness. Patty Jenkins, the director, managed to make a movie full of positive messages. We shot in Washington, D. C., then in London and Spain - which now sounds like a different time. 

Do you miss travelling? 

I've only now realised what a privilege it is to just pack up your things and fly anywhere. With an American passport you can travel freely. And that's why the small radius we live in now is kind of absurd. Over the last few years I often retreated in between takes, because I was always on the road and overstimulated. Friends complained about how comfortable I had become. We all took social interactions for granted and realise now how reliant we are on human connection. Now, I wistfully think about all the party and dinner invitations I declined in the past. 

In L. A., people spend more time indoors or in nature than in other metropolises. Could this city become your safe haven after New York City? 

My true home is my friends. Ever since I was young I've lived the life of a nomad and haven't set roots anywhere. Until recently, my physical home was a place for arriving and leaving and hence I didn't want to overcomplicate living by owning lots of things. The opposite actually: Without having read Marie Kondo's book, I got rid of all the stuff that was unnecessary and lived a very minimalistic lifestyle. 

Is there something you collect or could never say goodbye to? 

Books! I still own the literature I read during my teen and university years. Recently I found a box of old theatre scripts and materials back from my uni days at NYU. I can't separate from art either, same as lamps or old pictures. Furniture and clothes are no problem though, they can be chucked. 

Do you remember any roles that were defined by their costumes? 

Yes, "Game of Thrones" comes to mind immediately. During that time I first understood what it means, as an actor, to be supported by a look. I owe that to costume designer Michele Clapton. She developed these very feminine robes and brocade cloaks for my role that looked very masculine when I wore them. I felt sexy in them. And very important were of course Lindy Hemming's power suits and Jan Sewell's blond hair for the tycoon villain Maxwell Lord in "Wonder Woman 1984". Relating to the style, I couldn't really see myself in the role since the shapes and colours of the 80s don't really fit my body. My type is the 70s.

Do you adopt such inspirations into your private closet? 

At this point in time, I'll choose any comfortable outfit over a cool look. Sometimes I mourn the days when I defined myself with fashion. It's a bit mad when I think about how, in the 90s as a teenager, I would go to raves; a proper club kid with crazy outfits: overalls, chute trousers, soccer shirts and a top hat like in "The cat in the hat knows a lot about that!" by Dr Seuss. Later in NYC I was part of a group that placed immense value on wearing a certain style. The fact that I only walk around in joggers nowadays is actually unacceptable! 

Normally, actors who work on comic screen adaptations become bodybuilders and eat ten boiled chicken breasts per day. You don't? 

My body wouldn't be able to handle that. I find it difficult enough to maintain a minimum level of fitness. As of your mid 40s, you suddenly need a lot more discipline. Until the tooth incident happened, I worked out a couple of times a week with a trainer to keep the quarantine body in shape. 

What would annoy you the most, if you were your own roommate? 

I can be very bossy. I have to gather all my goodwill not to force my movie choice on to everyone else. When I want something, I'm not passive aggressive about it, I attack head on. Also, I can get caught up in tunnel vision: When i feel down, I can't imagine that I'm ever going to feel better again. I have difficulty with seeing the bigger picture when experiencing problems or emotions. Method acting really wouldn't be my thing. That's why I try to only work on projects that feel good and where people encourage and lift each other up. 

While you were trying on the outfits you pointed out a lack of self-esteem. How does that coincide with your career? 

Isn't it interesting how traits and circumstances go hand in hand? Self-esteem comes from the inside, but it's also influenced by what society believes. We use critical stares from the outside against ourselves. I lived in New York for 20 years, I studied there and worked as a waiter up until my mid 30s, because I couldn't live off acting. It was always so close. The disappointment of always just barely missing a perfect part or opportunity is exhausting. When is the right time to stop trying and what's plan b? That's not just a question actors ask themselves, but anybody who struggles to earn a livelihood - unrelated to how much potential they have or how close their dream may seem. We are beginning to see now how our narrow definition of success is destroying our communities. At the same time, it's becoming obvious that, until this day, your family background and skin colour determine your chances of living a dignified existence. 

What are the positives of becoming a leading man later in life? 

I have the feeling that I've got control over my life - without the pressure of having to accept projects or be a social media personality. That surely also has to do with the fact that I'm a man. Women are surely pressured to appear quirky at any age. 

Life is always a management of risks - especially at this time. For what would you risk losing something? 

Usually, if you don't play the game you're not going to win anything. That applies to friendship, love, work, creativity. Anything that really means something to me, is worth the risk. 

Wonder woman 1984 will appear in cinemas 01.10. The 800 million dollar earning DC comic franchise is moving into the New York 80s with its sequel. It looks spectacular - only Pedro Pascal with blond hair in a three piece Wall Street suit looks better.

[ingek73]

Stifling, Toxic and Racist—Duchess Meghan Never Had a Chance at The Palace

Royal editor-at-large Omid Scobie sounds off on the outdated practices and attitudes within the royal family that left the Duke and Duchess of Sussex forced to make a change.

BY OMID SCOBIE

MAR 10 2021, 3:20 PM EST

I remember the feeling of frustration well. My work on an extensive biography of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Finding Freedom, was coming to an end. After hearing countless stories from multiple people close to the couple about how they felt unsupported and unprotected by the institution of the monarchy, it was time to address the matter with the palace side. A chance for them to respond.

“This is nonsense. … We did absolutely everything [for Meghan],” the senior aide told me over the phone. I asked for examples. “Everybody welcomed her, and she was given all the support she needed,” they continued. I asked again. “They forget how accommodating we were when it came to navigating the duchess through her first steps [as a working royal],” the aide added, somewhat curtly. I had several conversations like this over the weeks that followed—each party, be they from Clarence House, Buckingham Palace, or Kensington Palace, for the most part seemingly baffled by the Sussexes’ grievances. Finally, I took what I had and moved on.

Well over a year has passed since these calls, and the full severity of Harry and Meghan’s situation has finally been laid bare. Sitting in front of Oprah Winfrey, the duchess tearfully opened up about her darkest days as a working member of the royal family. Unprotected, undefended, and left to face a near-daily barrage of hateful commentary and negative stories, Meghan revealed how her circumstances had, at times, seen her virtually stuck indoors for weeks on end. Lunch with friends could have momentarily lifted her spirits, but social outings were dismissed by royal family members and aides who said it would be better to lie low. Her image was “everywhere right now,” they told her. Her isolated existence stood out in particular to her worried mother, Doria Ragland, who during a summer 2019 visit to Frogmore Cottage was surprised to discover that neither she nor her daughter was able to go out into Windsor town to pick up coffees. “You’re stuck in here,” Doria told Meghan at the time, according to a source.

The Oprah interview was the world’s first time hearing Meghan describe the true toll of the palace’s “no comment” policy when it came to dealing with inaccurate press coverage. One report that caused Meghan particular upset was the November 2018 allegation that she’d made the Duchess of Cambridge cry during a children’s bridesmaid dress fitting for her Windsor Castle wedding. Though the palace knew the claims were untrue (and that it was, in fact, Kate who made Meghan cry), Meghan was repeatedly told that it would not be possible to set the record straight, despite it being a story that fed into a stereotype-laden narrative. Other royal family members were often afforded more sympathetic support when it came to dealing with inaccurate press (officials even issued a statement to deny Kate’s use of Botox in July 2019), but both Harry and Meghan felt they did not have access to this same privilege.

The couple’s exasperation came to a head in January 2020, when Kensington Palace urgently requested that Prince Harry cosign a statement against an “offensive” newspaper report stating Prince William “constantly bullied” the Sussexes before their decision to step away. “Well, if we’re just throwing any statement out there now, then perhaps KP can finally set the record straight about me [not making Kate cry],” Meghan emailed an aide, asking why side of the story public image was never considered important to anyone. But, as with many requests made by the couple, her suggestion was ignored. The Duchess of Cambridge, she was told, should never be dragged into idle gossip.

Meghan’s state of well-being deteriorated as the institution refused to defend or protect her during her toughest moments. Talking to Oprah, Meghan revealed that her mental health was so fragile during her pregnancy that she “didn’t want to be alive anymore.” She turned to senior staff—including the palace’s own HR department—but her plea for help in January 2019 was repeatedly shut down. It’s not a good look for the family, she was told. Even friends who wanted to help her or speak up in her defense were regularly reminded by palace aides to keep quiet. As the cruel commentary, racist attacks, death threats, and negative tabloid stories piled up—and the institution continued to ignore the problem—Meghan later likened the experience to a friend as “death by a thousand cuts.” Her reference to an ancient Chinese execution method was no coincidence.

For the millions around the world who watched Meghan share her story, some of the experiences shared were perhaps all too familiar. Princess Diana revealed in several interviews that she considered suicide during her marriage to Prince Charles and spoke candidly about her battles with bulimia and mental distress, both of which were ignored by the institution of the monarchy. Sarah, Duchess of York, was also open about how the pressures and loneliness that came with palace life led to her own struggle with eating disorders.

When Kate quickly found public adoration as the Duchess of Cambridge, the palace would proudly tell members of the press that lessons from the past had been learned. “There has been a concerted effort to ensure that history never repeats itself,” one senior staff member working for the Cambridges told me in 2014. Yet, here we are in 2021, with a very real image of Britain’s oldest and most revered establishment once again engaged in neglect and gaslighting, and dismissing mental health.

When Kate quickly found public adoration as the Duchess of Cambridge, the palace would proudly tell members of the press that lessons from the past had been learned. “There has been a concerted effort to ensure that history never repeats itself,” one senior staff member working for the Cambridges told me in 2014. Yet, here we are in 2021, with a very real image of Britain’s oldest and most revered establishment once again engaged in neglect and gaslighting, and dismissing mental health.

This time, however, race—or more specifically, racism—plays a major role. Harry and Meghan’s revelation that a member of the royal family (not the queen or Prince Philip) had expressed “concern” over how dark the skin of the queen’s great-grandson might be, left many, including Oprah herself, openmouthed. But for those familiar with the institution—which on Sunday celebrated the diversity of the Commonwealth realm’s population of 2.4 billion—it comes as less of a surprise. This is an establishment that only last week briefed The Times of London that Meghan wanted to be royal “the Beyoncé way,” and that the help offered to her included establishing the queen’s Black equerry (a senior attendant, if you will) as a “mentor.” Princess Michael of Kent’s ignorance regarding wearing a blackamoor brooch during her first encounter with Meghan is a reminder that even racial sensitivity can be lacking within the family. An establishment that, as Meghan herself explained, has yet to learn the difference between rude and racist press coverage. The stiff upper lip, no matter how painful the attacks, was expected to remain impossibly rigid at all times.

The palace has continually proven itself to be unable to empathize with any person who crumbles under the pressures of its outdated and unreasonable expectations.

But when does forced silence turn into abuse? Ignoring gossip and drama may fall under the royal family’s famed (but questionable) “never complain, never explain” mantra, but expecting the victim of racism to remain voiceless while sections of the press call her “ghetto,” “straight outta Compton,” and “un-royal” borders on complicit with the attacks. As does refusing to learn how to identify the existence of the very racism that fuels them.

If it’s not considered appropriate to acknowledge racism or racial ignorance when aimed at a mixed-raced senior royal, then how should the 54 countries of the Commonwealth and its predominantly Black, Brown, and mixed population feel about the realm’s figurehead belonging to an institution that claims to celebrate “diversity” but in practice appears to uphold white supremacy? And if the lack of awareness Harry described to Oprah is true, then were race-related public duties, including Prince William recently calling out racism in British soccer and Prince Charles speaking out about racism in architecture in 2000, simply performative? It’s hard to forget that across the full lineup of working royals, all failed to acknowledge last year’s Black Lives Matter movement, which saw just as much protesting across the United Kingdom as the United States.

A brief, 61-word statement shared on behalf of the queen by the palace on March 9 revealed that the family is “saddened” by how challenging recent years have been for the Sussexes. But with the note also admitting that the family are somehow only just learning of the “full extent” of the couple’s experiences, isn’t it all a bit late? With yet another “commoner” leaving the House of Windsor emotionally battered and bruised, the palace has continually proven itself to be unable to empathize with any person who crumbles under the pressures of its outdated and unreasonable expectations. A glass-half-full view is that recent events could perhaps serve as a catalyst for change (and I hope they are). But given Harry’s own admission that his family is trapped within a “system” so fearful of the British press and public that they’re often unable to live up to their own ideals, is it actually time for us to just finally set them free?